The Streets of Solitude
by Bovine Beauty
Summary: What would have happened if Maggie kept her promise to leave Patch of Heaven at the end? After weeks of traveling by herself in the unknown, Maggie winds up in a hideout that is home to an animal gang known as the Bombers, making her an beloved member to help with their survival on the streets. Is this the life that Maggie truly wants, or is her heart telling her something else?
1. Farewell to Home

_**All characters, except those not mentioned in the movie, are the property of the Walt Disney Company. Even though I believe they deserve much better than what is given recently in today's modern society.**_

**Chapter 1: Farewell to Home**

This was it, the end had come. But there was nothing more for her to do. She had made a promise to leave after all, and she never went back on her promises. Maggie the show cow had quietly made her way to the front gates of Patch of Heaven while Grace, Buck, Lucky Jack, and Mrs. Calloway had been distracted with watching Sheriff Brown taking care of Alameda Slim, having the bell still stuck in his mouth. In this moment, she knew and had nearly forgotten about the deal that she and Mrs. Calloway had made back in the desert on that one rainy night, and she had agreed to it once Alameda Slim was captured. Now the deal had been fulfilled, and it was time for her to leave. Good or bad, a promise was a promise and Maggie vowed to stick by it. Sure she had enjoyed the moment when she and the other two had triumphed over the cattle rustler that had been stealing other cattle from farms and had taken her old home from her. That is until she had remembered the deal and her expression instantaneously turned from triumphant to a sad frown.

Just like her friends, everybody else was too busy watching a jail wagon now show up inside the farm that none of them ever noticed Maggie move outside of the gate entrance; and just before Slim was tied up and thrown into the wagon, she had now started marching away from the farm, and didn't bother to look back once she began her new journey out on her own. And once she had left, not only did she miss the jail wagon moving out of the farm, but her two friends later standing at the gate, wondering where she had left.

"It's not like your farm is ever going to feel like home to me anyway," Maggie whispered to herself sadly, remembering those same words she used before. And now she was using them in her head as a reminder to keep on walking and never look back, managing to believe that it was better and easier this way to keep her promise. "Besides, I don't belong there anyway." Those other words she added to herself is what also encouraged her to follow her own path. Part of her didn't want to leave, nor did she do this to hurt anybody. But a promise was a promise.

* * *

The first thing that Maggie realized when she was out in the prairie lands at least five miles from now, was that she left her bell behind at Patch of Heaven after throwing it in the air for Grace to kick right into Slim's mouth to stop him from yodeling. And of course there was no chance of going back to get it now. She didn't need it anyways. The next thing she realized a few hours later was that the sun was going down slowly, meaning it would be nighttime soon enough, for it had been nearly three or six hours since she left Patch of Heaven and the autumn days were less short than the winter days that were soon to arrive in two months. If this was what she was to encounter up ahead, Maggie knew she had to make the best of it on her own. First she needed to think of where she would take shelter for the night, and thought of her old home, the Dixon Ranch.

"I could stay the night there one last time," Maggie said to herself. "Even if it's deserted, no harm catching up on old times."

Maggie looked up at the sky in sadness when she thought of her old home. She stood there for quite some time, recalling the memory of how she, Grace, and Mrs. Calloway had passed by the place which caused a painful lump in her throat, thinking of those ribbons and trophies she won ever since her first days at the fair as a young calf. She had promised her mother and grandmother that she would make them proud of her, and they were of course, whether she came in first, second, or third. Maggie was taught that there were more important things than coming in first place every single time. And she never lost sight of what was important, such as her family. Family, where could they have been at this moment she wondered.

It was pretty bad once Maggie crossed a huge tree log to the other side above a river. By this hour it was growing darker every minute, meaning that soon other dangerous critters will be out once it is night such as coyotes and owls. If she wanted to get out of this prairie, she had to hurry before the last light of day. There had to be a road somewhere for her to follow. Due to the lack of sunlight, Maggie kept tripping over rocks or holes in the ground which belonged to prairie dogs and she had to apologize to them whenever this happened. She slid down steep banks and barked her legs against sharp rocks and twigs till she was cold and hurt all over. The silence and loneliness of this area soon became dreadful, having her wonder if she should just give up and go back to make amends with the others, until she spoke to herself after many hours of silence, "When I get back on the road, I should find out where Abner went and see if he'll want me back." And soon Maggie was back on her feet, determined to find the road, despite the lack of sunlight, thinking that her first family couldn't possibly be that far wherever they were. She had just settled in her mind what sort of life her mother and grandmother could be living while she was still walking. She wanted to believe that they were still alive, hoping and waiting for her to return to them and be a family again. When night had finally fallen, first the light was gone, then a small wind sprang up and the night turned slightly chilly for Maggie. The clouds moved away, revealing the full moon, making it easier for her to see where she was walking.

Soon Maggie could hear the sound of insects and the owl hooting, hoping there would not come a coyote howling next. She now reached what she was certain might have been the road for her to walk on, and turned to follow it up. She noticed how this part of the valley was so familiar where it all opened out and had a clear view. And there on the other side of the prairie, quite close to her, she saw what must be the Dixon Ranch. Her old home was still in the same shape, even though it was empty like the night she lost it. As joyful as Maggie felt to see her old home again, even for the last time, she couldn't help but feel some sort of fear in approaching the place. She took steps back, not wanting her heart to be broken again by reliving that same horrid night in her life. Still she needed a place to sleep and then would be on her way again. It was too late to turn back the way she came.

She climbed over the fence and walked up to the house. Not the slightest sound stirred around her, except for the noise of her marching hooves. The silence did not bother her much, not even when she stopped walking to have a peek inside the house where her owner used to sleep in. The whole place inside was dark and empty, with not one piece of furniture left since it had all been sold at the auction. So why would anybody live here now? No furniture and no herd meant no owners.

_I remember this house_. Maggie thought dismally as she gazed some more at what used to be her owner's bedroom and the kitchen. _That used to be where Abner would sleep every night, and there was where he used to cook his own meals morning and night. Maybe wherever he is at this moment, he is resting in his new bed, in a new house, and new life._

Maggie moved away from the house and down to where the barn stood and check out her old stall. She had to move carefully if she wanted to prevent any more slipping. Once she got there, Maggie looked inside the barn, and there she saw the same trophies, medals, and ribbons still there that it nearly made her heart sink, remembering how much effort and heart it took for her to win in those contests. Without the advice and support of her mother and grandmother, they wouldn't be here for her to see. Even if she might not be able to take them with her, at least she could sleep here for one night and be in her old stall like she used to.

"This place may be empty," Maggie said calmly, feeling another lump in her throat as she stared at the trophies and ribbons around her. "But it's either here or the desert, so I'll take my chances in this stall tonight."

Tired from the long walk, Maggie moved inside her old stall, noticing that there was not an ounce of hay anywhere, but she was feeling too sleepy to be hungry or thirsty. She lay down to sleep on the cold hard floor, struggling to get as comfortable as she could. Closing her eyes, she started to dream, listening to the owl hoots in the distance from outside. She had loved it.

* * *

Once Maggie fell asleep, her mind started flashing images of what appeared to be an old memory from her earlier years as a calf, which reminded her of when she spent her earlier days with her sweet and kindhearted grandmother, Delilah in learning what was right and wrong. The vision was faint and blurry, but Maggie could see a decent amount of it. It stayed there for as long as she could remember. In the background of the vision came the full moon. With its light shining down upon the valley, came the image of a stall where a mother cow seemed to be tending to her sleeping calf. Maggie couldn't see that well, but guessed that it was what had been there. There was so much sound and light going on that Maggie tried to remember what else she saw. Two hooves similar to her hers stretched out from underneath the brown blanket that covered her. Something else had gently touched her forehead. Then she saw her mother Margaret, tenderly licking her head. The sweet calf seemed tired, yet comforted by the love of her mother as if she had only been a day old. It wasn't too hard for Maggie to realize that the same calf she saw was her of course. This was indeed a very old memory that brought on comfort in this situation of hers, glad that she had not forgotten it.

The young Maggie yawned and opened her eyes slightly, in which the adult Maggie had never really thought of herself as that precious after she was born. The vision of the dream calmed her pleasantly; feeling safer and secure in the presence of her mother, caring less if this was only a dream. At least she did not lose her memories of this moment. She'd do anything just to see her mother again.

Maggie suddenly found herself in the dream, standing before the young calf in the stall. She didn't understand why she was here or how she got inside. There was no logical explanation for that. Turning her head side to side, there was nobody else around but the darkness. Even the moonlight diminished seconds later. Worst of all, there was no vision of her mother. She had disappeared with the light, leaving her own calf behind with no one to watch over her. The child was still asleep, unaware that she was all alone. For some reason, Maggie was reminded of how she left the other farm without saying goodbye. Not every part of her departure, just going her own way and never even thinking about how it would affect her future. But this child didn't seem worried about anything, unless she woke up. Staring down at her, Maggie didn't understand why nothing around seemed to bother her or wake her in that peaceful sleep. But whatever the reason, Maggie entered the stall and sat beside the baby, not wanting to leave her alone.

"It's alright, I'm here for you," Maggie said softly, which was all she could think of. "You just stay asleep there. No one's going to hurt you tonight."

Whether or not the child knew someone was there beside her, nothing else mattered but being at peace. Yet the peaceful moment did not last much longer once Maggie felt a rise of anger from within, another part of her mind bringing hurtful visions just to torment her. She glared at the sleeping child.

"Look at you," Maggie choked up. "So young and innocent that you don't seem to know what will happen once you wake up in this empty place." The calf did not respond to her words as it continued sleeping, turning to the side. Maggie's anger came again, not at the calf, but at herself. Why couldn't things just be the way they were before?

"How could you do this to me?!" she screamed.

After her outburst, the vision faded in to smoke. Maggie hit the floor of the dream, not wanting to go anywhere. She shouldn't have felt pain, but she did. Her eyes opened as she rose up, trying to figure out what just happened. It's when she realized her mistake back in that stall. She never meant to get angry at all, she couldn't help feeling emotional that she had been robbed of her loved ones and only made a mistake to end up where she was now. She only wanted what that child had before, what was taken from her. Maggie realized now, sympathy and guilt for what had happened. That child was who she used to be, soon to grow up, become a show cow, only for her dreams to come to an end by the time she would reach her adulthood years. Thinking of it caused Maggie to breathe heavily as she looked around for any sign of life, only to find a dark void.

When Maggie could not take the dead silence any longer, she looked down at her hooves, her face mixed with fear and regret. This wasn't what she wanted. It was all wrong.

"I didn't ask for this," she said, glancing over her shoulder in hopes that the vision of her stall and of that child was still there. "Wherever you are, please don't go!" she yelled in the distant void. She ran forward only to find more darkness. "I didn't mean to lose my temper!" She yelled again, waiting for a response. There was none. She turned the other way. "I'm sorry, just don't leave me!" She yelled for the third time. Then she gave up. The comfort and protection she had felt from long ago was gone. Maggie couldn't believe what happened, but it did. Her face became overwhelmed with negative emotion that it was enough for her to collapse on the ground. She laid flat, her front hooves covering her face. Then without warning, it started. For the first time in her adult years, she began to cry.

"Mother, Grandmother, where could you have gone?" Maggie sniffled. "I promised myself that I would remain brave and strong after you were gone. I just didn't think I would ever cry again. You must be disappointed in me!" The tears kept on coming. In her blurry vision, she turned her head from side to side in search of her loved ones. There was no one around to offer her comfort or to tell her that it was okay to cry. She was alone. Then she yelled into the black sky. "MOTHER!"

Oh what was the point in screaming? It was not going to do her any good, and she knew it. Maggie had to accept the truth that she was alone, yet she didn't want to be. Still if she was to keep her promise, she was going to be on her own until she found what she was looking for; if she did find it. Her dreams only brought on hurt and confusion, leaving her nothing but old wounds. That was only the beginning. The visions were not the only thing that brought her harm. She could feel herself falling, deep into the black abyss where she could only hear her heavy breathing. She thought that she had lost all her energy once she had fallen. Little did Maggie know that this dream or nightmare was far from over. She was about to confront an unseen presence.

She could hear it, the sound of laughter in the air. It was wicked laughter.

_HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!_

Maggie looked for the source of the sound, but it remained unseen. The laugh echoed in her head as it continued to mock her. She could hear it in every direction, not knowing how much more she could take.

_Look at the show cow now!_ That stalking voice spoke, agitated. _Did you really think that even if you caught the one responsible for all this, that everything would be alright? That you would live happily ever after? Well guess again!_ It mocked her. _He may be in jail now, but you're still without a home, no family, not even a mother to tuck you in and night and say 'I love you' am I right? Where on earth could she have disappeared to?_

"SHUT UP!" Maggie screamed angrily, her energy back. But the voice wasn't finished.

_Ha, that's what you always say when you don't want to hear the truth_. It replied.

"SHUT UP YOU!" Maggie screamed again, still looking for the voice.

_You know that you are nothing without me. I will always be a part of your life_.

Maggie looked above her to see the black sky was swirling into a vortex. She wanted to ignore it, knowing that bad dreams can't hurt her, no matter what anybody says in them. It was impossible.

"I didn't do anything wrong," she said. "I just wanted to get back at him before he caused any more pain like he did to me. It was the only way to stop him." There was a moment of silence. All she heard was the swirling vortex above, ready to suck her in.

_Face the facts show cow! Everyone you've ever known, everyone you've ever loved is gone forever. And you'll never see them again!_

"That's a lie!"

_Still in denial I see. Maybe you need some convincing!_

Suddenly, the dark ground shattered into a million pieces like a fallen mirror before the vortex sucked Maggie in along with the rest of the pieces of darkness.

Maggie's eyes soon darkened, but then bubbles of light started to appear. Her vision slowly came, seeing that she was somewhere else. She could see it now. Her hooves touched the ground of a prairie meadow. To her left was a fence. It was all she could see, for everything else was shattered like a piece of broken glass. She turned around, seeing several cattle minding their own business inside the fence, not recognizing any of them. Then she saw two familiar faces come out.

"Mother, Grandmother?" Maggie gasped. "I've come back!"

The two bovines did not respond or turn in her direction. They just continued on with their business as if it was just another ordinary day.

"Mother?"

_They can't hear you show cow!_

Maggie turned around, hearing that same voice again.

_You wanted to see them again, didn't you? Well here they are, waiting for you to return to them. Only problem is that they don't seem to know that you're more than a hundred miles away from where you're at, out of state possibly. Still think finding them will be a piece of cake?_

"I could still try if I wanted to," Maggie answered, still angry. "I don't care how far they might be. I'll find them and I don't need your advice."

_You still carry the pain of loss within your heart. You fear that they're too far away for you to reach. If you ask me, I'd say that they're dead! Is that what you also fear?_

"STOP IT!" She demanded, not wanting to listen to anymore. Maggie was silent, feeling her heart torn and slashed from everything this terrible voice uttered. But it didn't stop there. She saw the entire area morph again, first seeing nothing but darkness as she was still falling into emptiness. Then came the form of another cow, with light shining down upon it like the moon. Not wanting to see any more, Maggie turned her head away and closed her eyes.

_Look down there you! That's how you'll end up if you don't face the facts of what lies ahead in your future. Strange how those that try so hard don't know when it's time to give up until it's too late. Soon every broken piece of yourself will fall and die!_

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Maggie couldn't take it any longer.

"STOP!"

Maggie burst awake, her eyes scanning for where she was. She was back in her old stall with all the trophies, medals, and ribbons. No longer was she suffering from pain inside the dream. It did however leave her feeling like a broken mirror that could never be repaired. And there was nothing she could do.

Maggie was left so hurt and confused, that she couldn't decide what was more painful with what happened in her life. Everything the voice told her had to be a lie. She would never believe that her loved ones were gone for good. Far away possibly, but not dead.

Her shoulders started shuffling, which meant she was crying again. This time it was ok, even for someone like her to do so. She'd do anything to see her real family again, if only for a short time instead of in her dreams. Her mother and grandmother were the only things on her mind for tonight. How could that voice in her dreams torment her like that all of a sudden?

Did that voice not understand how it felt to be separated from those who love you? To have all that love from them taken away in the night, never to be seen again?

"I love you mom, and Grandma," Maggie wept, crying herself back to sleep.

**AN**: _Finally, the first chapter of my **what-if** HOTR tale on what might have happened if Maggie left. The reason that this story is rated T is because of what will later happen future chapters, but for those easily uncomfortable by such themes like violence or so on, no further details on that will be revealed, meaning the description I give will only give readers an idea on what is already happening. That I will explain later, for now I wanted to show chapters of where Maggie goes soon after she has kept her promise, whether she wants to or not. I do not own any of the characters from "Home on the Range". All of them belong to Disney, although I wish that they were mine sometimes. I will also give most of the credit to my good friend Carlos for helping me with ideas and details on this story. _


	2. What am I Doing?

**Chapter 2: What am I Doing?**

All through the night, Maggie stayed asleep until the light from the morning sun shone through the cracks within the walls. Her eyes began to flutter at the light, but she did not want to get up. She was barely a morning cow and preferred to sleep and relax for as long as she could. Most of all, she wanted to imagine that she was with her first family again, not wanting to come back to reality. Moving onto her side, Maggie wanted to dream one more time of being with those she loved, and lost. Sleeping in her nice warm stall at night, heading outside to meet her grandmother with the herd, and a mother that was there with her every night to make her feel safe and loved, even when she was older. Competing in many contests, being the best and hearing those around her mention how proud they were of her. Too bad those days had come to an end.

As Maggie lay there, she thought she could hear what sounded like hammering. At first thinking it was all in her tired head, until she listened some more.

_Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap_!

When the tapping had finally stopped, she heard a footstep walking away until the mysterious sound disappears. Maggie sighed in relief, thankful that the noise was gone, whatever it was. For three more hours, she slept on until she was awakened by the chirping of birds from afar. Pretending she had heard a rooster, Maggie got up and stretched her legs. Her eyes were still a bit tired, but she was able to go outside and sniff the fresh morning air.

"Look Mama, another beautiful day today," she said, truthfully to herself. "Why don't we go see if Grandma's with the herd."

Something seemed to have gone through Maggie's head that one morning on the empty farm that used to be her first home; the only home she had ever known since the day she was born to later become a show cow. She went over to the empty fence where the herd had been stolen that one night.

"Hey Grandma!" She called out to wherever she imagined her grandmother standing. "You'll never believe the adventure I had while you and Mom were gone!"

Entering into the fenced in area through the open gate, there was no other living creature or human around to see that Maggie was becoming lost in her mind between fantasy and reality. If anyone had been there of course, no one would know how long Maggie went on pretending she was speaking to family members, having breakfast and lunch in a trough with nothing in it. When that wasn't enough to satisfy her hunger, Maggie left the gate, telling her invisible Grandmother that she'll be back in five minutes. Luckily there was grass next to a clear lake, safe for her to eat and drink. With her stomach full, Maggie returned to the fence to chat away with her invisible family members to talk about how she had gone out in search of the man responsible for their troubles, never knowing her mission would become a success.

By the time dusk was almost near, Maggie soon became tired and decided it was time to head back to her stall for some sleep.

"Well it's been a long day Ma," Maggie yawned. "I'll see you back in the stall by dark. You know how I need my early shut eye before the fair tomorrow."

It took her only three minutes to walk from the fenced area to where her stall was. Unfortunately she never bothered to look carefully where she was walking and moved her left front hoof too close to a nail sticking out of the entrance wall.

"OUCH!" Maggie yelped in pain, looking at her hoof. The loose nail had left a scratch on her ankle, not quite deep, but it was bleeding a bit.

"Mom, I hurt my ankle!" she cried, lifting her hoof upward. "Mom…Mom, didn't you hear me?"

She turned to look over her shoulder, only to find and to realize that there was no one there. There was no point in pretending any longer, seeing and hearing what she only wanted to. Maggie had finally opened her eyes to reality. Nobody was going to clean her wound. She would have to do it herself, without anyone else's help.

"Fine, I don't want your help!" She yelled angrily, close to tears. "I can take care of myself! DO YOU HEAR ME? I DON'T NEED ANYBODY!" Her screams were high enough to nearly awaken the whole neighborhood, yet Maggie could care less. She was too busy cleaning her wound until it was no longer bleeding.

Maggie sat on her haunches, against the walls of the barn entrance. She dared not try and pretend what was there, feeling sad and confused, unable to think and clear her mind all at once. The only thing she could stare at was the trophies, medals, and ribbons she had won many competitions ago at the state fairs she entered. The sorrow in her heart was sharp and more tangible than it had ever been before. Maggie felt as if she could taste it in her mouth. Standing up, Maggie walked over slowly as she gazed at one shining golden trophy written as 1st place in the Golden Udder Awards. She could see her reflection in it. Who was she really? Was she still that same show cow long ago? Or was she now nothing but a homeless outcast with an empty heart? She didn't know anymore. The bovine she saw in the trophy was neither one nor the other. It was simply an ordinary animal with nothing more to give to anyone.

So many years ago, her old life was nothing compared to this. She still remembered how she vowed to be the best there ever was. Even when success sometimes went to her head, Maggie would never put winning before her family as long as she promised never to forget how she wouldn't have done everything else without them. Other than that, she could remember when she, Grace, and Mrs. Calloway had passed by this place when there was an auction going on as a few people were gathered there, even after they had passed this empty barn of hers to see all these awards left behind.

"_What's going to happen to the cow that lived there?" Grace asked._

"_She'll be okay," said Maggie._

"_How do you know?" Grace asked._

"_You're looking at her," Maggie replied._

_Grace gasped that Maggie used to live at the Dixon Ranch, "This was your farm?"_

_Maggie nodded, "We had a family too."_

"_What happened?" Grace asked._

"_Alameda Slim happened," answered Maggie_

That name, which was the name she hated ever since that day she lost everything. Yet there was no need to worry about him anymore, despite that she still hated him for what he did. He was in jail just as she and her friends had hoped. Only this was no longer the home she had grown up in. She was not afraid to admit to her companions that it used to be her home, except there was no way she would allow herself to shed tears in front of them. Her reasons for that were her own.

If there was anything she had learned it was that Slim never would have been caught if Abner never had dropped her off at Patch of Heaven in the first place.

Maggie kept gazing at the golden trophy, and then she had gasped to see something else in there that caused her to shake her head in surprise. Her two friends were standing there beside her!

"Grace, Calloway?" Maggie turned at once, a smile upon her face.

But the smile faded when she saw that no one was there. She went to look outside, but in vain. Again, she had only been seeing what she wanted to see. That small spark of hope died with another wave of grief as she let out a sad sigh and went back into the barn. The sun was now going down and it would soon be another lonely night here for her. By now, Maggie admitted then what she knew all along: her family would never come back.

_So what do I do now?_ Maggie couldn't think clearly anymore. Everything was becoming too much in this place. _I can't live here by myself. I wouldn't last much longer. This isn't my home anymore, it used to be. But now it's gone._

Suddenly, a flame inside Maggie began to grow, her eyes taking one last look at her awards. Her body twitched in response, her hatred grew. Maggie's eyes began to focus on her ribbons, all of her anger focused on the very things that was left of her old home.

"YOU MAKE ME SICK!" Without even thinking, Maggie threw herself over to tear all of the ribbons off the wall, her soul tainted with bitter hurt and a sense of betrayal that she could not understand or control. Next Maggie saw pure, fiery outrage when she turned to the trophies, mostly at the golden trophy. Something else inside of her snapped when she kicked fiercely at the wall, sending them to the ground in a thousand pieces, even crushing most of those broken pieces with her hooves, mutilating them forever, along with what used to be a big part of her life. "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME, AFTER ALL THAT I DID FOR YOU!" She seethed nastily, still crushing whatever had been left of those trophies. She could still remember how she refused to give up out in the desert before the rain put a stop to their plans and all seemed hopeless for her and for Patch of Heaven. It had been bad enough losing her first home, yet it all went from bad to worst in what would soon happen once the storm cleared, if it ever cleared. Then again, that other dairy farm was not even hers to call home in the first place. Yet Abner couldn't afford to keep her, only wanting what was best for her. Still it didn't answer why he couldn't take the awards out of her old barn before they left the Dixon Ranch. After all she had done for him and out of all the love he had given her, was everything she earned all for nothing? The feelings she had, the sense of safety, the feelings of pure happiness, didn't it still mean anything to him, even if he may never see her again?

The last trophy standing was the golden trophy in which Maggie hadn't forgotten about. That was the one that showed her an image of what was never there for her. Anger twisted on Maggie's features, darker than anything she had ever felt. She squeezed her tear-blotted eyes shut, clenched her teeth, and pinned her ears back.

"NONE OF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I USED TO BE!" She growled, turning around to give the wall another mighty strong kick with her hind legs. "I'M NOT A SHOW COW ANYMORE! I'M NOTHING BUT AN OUTCAST!" Her kick sent the very last trophy to join the other awards, into a million tiny pieces for her to crush until there was nothing left for her to destroy.

And that was it. All the trophies, medals, and ribbons were gone, scattered everywhere in the barn like a bunch of useless trash. Seeing what she had done in a blind rage, Maggie stopped in defeat, threw herself on the floor and began to sob. The dark sky, combined with its companions, brought forth the coming of melancholy and grief through a flash of energy, high above the prairie lands, but with no one but Maggie to experience the dreadful weather phenomenon through her weak sad eyes. Not knowing where else to go or what to do, she allowed despondent thinking to control her emotions of solitude.

"Who am I kidding? I have no home and no family."

No vocal expression was in her voice, for she was now a victim of melancholia. Curling up, she began to hum a lullaby to herself, which her mother used to sing to her. That song only brought more pain to her lonely heart, knowing that nothing else in her old home would bring happiness again.

The rain had stopped an hour later after Maggie woke up, looking around to see the torn ribbons, medals, and broken trophies strewn about. No one else did it, but her. What was once a beautiful collection was nothing but a pile of junk. And why? Because she lost control of her furious temper! How could she allow herself to act like such a vicious monster? What was happening to her?

Maggie's eyes filled with tears of sorrow and regret. The barn became blurry from her sight. Without an owner to watch and take care of her, Maggie realized she had no home at all. She would have to find another one elsewhere. Unless…

* * *

"No, no, no, I can't do this."

That night, Maggie stood before the gates of what could have been her second home…Patch of Heaven!

Only problem was that Maggie still had that same feeling inside of her which made her feel that she didn't belong here and never would. She had already kept her promise to leave in the end, so how could she even think that she'd be welcomed back in. Would they be happy to see her, or would she still be nothing more than an outcast that dared to step foot on their property without being invited? How could she even think of herself as a family member? She was a stranger.

"How can I show myself here?" Maggie whispered, lowering her head to the ground. "I would think that after keeping my promise, I'd never return. Yet here I am, but why?"

Then her mind chided her. _Well you can't stay at the Dixon Ranch forever by yourself, that's for sure. There's nothing for you there but old memories_.

"I know, but how can I show myself after I made a promise that I would never return?" Maggie asked quietly, not wanting to wake anybody.

_Even if you think you can't stay here_, her mind explained. _You could always sleep someplace inside where no one can see you. Then before dawn arrives, that will be your time to leave for good. I know it's hard being by yourself, but you can't let anything else stop you from going on a new adventure. Who knows? Maybe someday you'll find your old family again, wherever they are_.

Maggie nodded her head, whether or not she believed the voice. Whichever one it was, she finally moved her hooves, quietly walking in through the gate. Looking to her left, she saw that the train was still there, embedded in the dirt, guessing that it would be moved out soon enough since it had only been three days when she left this farm. It would likely take more than ten strong men to pull that thing out.

Passing by it, Maggie believed that she saw the barn a few feet from Pearl's house. She knew that she couldn't just go up to the gate, knock on it, and ask if she could come in. If she did, Pearl might hear and think an intruder has stepped foot on the farm to harm her animals. Or the animals would make enough frightening sounds that would scare her off as they might do to other intruders.

_I guess knocking on the door is out of the question_. Maggie thought in disappointment. _Oh well, it's really not that big a deal for me since I am a stranger. It's alright; I could just sleep in the back of the barn_.

She couldn't argue with that. Having been on Patch of Heaven and knowing everyone for a short time did not mean that she was already a member of the family. She was still a stranger, so why would Pearl ever want to keep a cow like her?

Rather than think about it any further, Maggie carefully moved behind the barn, hearing some of the animals' snores. Ignoring what she heard, she found that there was a grassy, yet wet spot, that she could sleep on that was two feet away from the barn so she wouldn't have to worry about waking anybody in case she snored.

Resting her whole body on the wet spot, it didn't bother her that much, despite that she was feeling rather cold once she lowered her head and curled up to sleep. She didn't mind it, because she figured that if she was going to be on her own again tomorrow, she would have to get used to sleeping in areas where humans can't find her. Her body would likely warm up eventually. Maybe she would never know why she bothered to return here, but something else about it wouldn't leave her mind. It was as if the farm was calling back for her to return and forget the promise she made. Of course that was probably a silly idea to think of. Still, what more could she say about that?

When she thought that she would never be able to fall asleep, Maggie slept like a rock within minutes. As she was sleeping, her whole body shook slightly, a mixture of cold air and sadness taking over her. In her heart, she missed the home she lost. Her mother, grandmother, friends, Abner, and missed all those times when she came in first place at the fair. Yeah those were good things to miss. It may even take more than a year to get over the loss of her first family, knowing that time heals all wounds from long ago. That's what her grandmother used to teach her during the hard times that would come to pass. She had to get herself together and not think about the past, but to find her future. Through her closed eyes, tears rolled down her cheeks slowly and silently, without her knowing.

Unbeknownst to Maggie, a shadow crept up slowly toward her as she slept on. Could it have been an intruder? Or could it have been…

Mrs. Calloway?

Somehow or other, the proper British cow sensed there was something outside of the barn when she thought that she heard a sound and went out to investigate. She had found the source of the sound alright, but was taken aback by surprise when it turned out to be Maggie sleeping there, outside in the cold air when she saw how much her body was shivering.

_Maggie? I thought she was never coming back_. Mrs. Calloway thought in disbelief. _Did she change her mind? Or is she only here for a limited amount of time? If only I could wake her up and ask her that_?

Of course she couldn't just wake her up and ask, not when she was already sound asleep. But whatever Maggie's reasons for returning were, Mrs. C was able to feel some pity for her as she saw her body shivering and went back into the barn, returning with a blanket to give Maggie some warmth for the night.

"Goodnight Maggie," Mrs. C whispered. "Whatever you choose, we'll always be here, thinking about you."

After leaving something else beside Maggie, she went back to sleep in the barn.

* * *

It was an hour before dawn when Maggie opened her eyes and studied the bright light down below the skies. It was time for her to leave again, out on her own. So whatever happens to her afterward, will be up to her. Even if Maggie didn't know where to go, she would still be looking until she found her new place to call home. She stirred a bit when she got up on all fours, stretching and yawning. Her heart stopped when she noticed that she had a blanket on her, knowing that she never got a hold of it anywhere around here last night. Someone must have known she was here and placed it on her while she slept. But who could have known about her? Looking down at her left, Maggie's answer came once her eyes focused on a purple flower hat with a bell sitting still on the ground.

Maggie's tired expression changed immediately as her tears returned, unable to control them. After the promise she kept, Maggie never thought for one second that Mrs. C would offer even the smallest bit of generosity to someone like her ever since they met several days ago. It felt too good to be true, yet the purple hat and this bell of hers that she had left behind was all the proof she needed to know. Maybe it was left here to show her that she was not some outcast or stranger to anyone on this farm, but a loving family member, no matter how short her time was on Patch of Heaven.

_Or maybe she only left you this blanket just so there'd be no reason for you to ever return, even if you wanted to_.

Shaking the voice out of her head, Maggie flew the bell back on her neck, thinking it might be of use to her when she is out on her own. She wished that she had some way to thank Mrs. C and everyone else for this act of generosity. Looking at the bluebonnets, maybe she could gather a bouquet and leave it next to this purple hat; which is exactly what she did.

Still a bit confused, Maggie thought this was her way of not only showing thanks, but in hopes they'll see that if for some reason she does not find what she is looking for, there may come a day when she'll return and stay forever…just maybe.

_That should be good enough_, her mind piped up. _You did make a promise after all, so stick to it while you're out there. I'm sure they'll still understand_.

"If you say so," Maggie replied, marching her way back to the front gates.

She paused in her tracks for a while to take one more look at the whole farm, seeing that dawn was slowly on its way. Her heart ached once more, knowing that she was leaving Patch of Heaven again. Yet somehow Maggie seemed confident enough that as soon as she settled in whatever new environment may be waiting out there for her, she would find a way to send a message back to the whole family on Patch of Heaven. After all, they most likely deserved to know if she was alright.

"Don't worry you guys," Maggie whispered with a smile of relief. "I'll be alright. Maybe I won't find what I'm looking for today or tomorrow, but I'll know when it's there. I'll pull through the hardships I may endure on the way. Once I settle in, I'll send you all a message."

With that finished, Maggie turned and walked out the gate to take the same route she did when she left the first night. She was not afraid as she used to be. There was no need for her to be as she felt. Her heart might still be saddened from the loss of her first home, Maggie had to realize that what happened before was over and it was her time to move on. She had decided to take the blanket with her, in case the nights might turn out to be cold, so she was feeling thankful for it being given to her last night. What she never knew is that the same cow who had given it saw the whole thing behind the barn.

**AN**: _Finally, an update to this story. Normally I hate taking long with story updates, but sometimes I become distracted by uploading artwork on Devianart. And it looks like Maggie is on her own again. I won't tell you what else will happen in this note, not until all chapters are updated. But I will say that somehow or other, Maggie will find her true home somewhere._


	3. Mean Streets

**Chapter 3: Mean Streets**

That was the second time that Maggie left Patch of Heaven, never looking back, determined to find her way to wherever the trail would take her. She had walked nearly five miles into the country; now taking a different path that would not lead passed her old home again. She had enough of dealing with painful memories that she hoped to leave behind her as soon as possible. Every time she saw someone or something coming toward her on the road, or up from behind, she hid somewhere until that thing had disappeared. It was noon before Maggie sat down to rest beside a large tree which its leaves where slowly turning from green to brown. While snacking on some green grass, she had thought only of getting away and of not being caught by any dangerous humans or animals that might be out there. For the first time, she began to think of where she should go in search of Abner.

On the marker, in big bold letters followed by a big arrow, it said that the city of Trigger Hook Town was at least sixty miles away from where she was standing.

"Sixty miles to Trigger Hook Town eh?" Maggie said to herself. "I ain't ever heard of a town with such an odd name, but it should be a good walk for my hooves to handle. Maybe they have some good quality food at the markets. I could sure go for that."

Although Maggie wasn't entirely sure herself that she could walk that far to reach the unknown town, she was more than willing to give anything out here a try. Surely there would be no need for her to go hungry in the big city if she were to find some work there. It must be the perfect place for a homeless cow like herself to go, wasn't it? She figured someone would be kind enough to take pity on her to give her good food and shelter as long as she did some work for them until she could begin her search again when she was ready. It might not sound so easy, but Maggie made herself promise that she would not give into self-pity whenever it came to changes in her life that were beyond her control.

Night was coming on, and Maggie, remembering that she needed to find a place to sleep until morning, began to feel overcome by fatigue with her hooves feeling sore from walking all day. Looking around her, the only thing she spotted was what appeared to be a small barn to the right of the trail. Going over to investigate, Maggie saw that the doors were open and it was empty inside. Guessing that it was abandoned, she decided this place would do for tonight, especially when it began to rain. So she wasted no time entering and locking the doors from inside.

"Thank goodness I have this blanket for extra warmth tonight," Maggie yawned, pulling it over her body. "Goodnight girls, even though you can't really hear me."

Maggie was lucky to have found shelter in time before the weather outside that night became severely cold and wild. She could not see it, but imagined that a bitter blustering wind was whistling angrily, raising clouds of dust and making the trees creak and groan as it swept across the entire valley. The thunder was terrific and the lightening so vivid that the sky looked like it was on fire. When Maggie was a young calf, she used to be afraid of the lightening as her mother comforted her, saying it was just a storm that comes and goes as it pleases. She was alone, for now. But she refused to believe that it would be forever.

* * *

Days dragged on and so did the nights as Maggie walked on alone, tired, and hungry. In this part of the valley, grass was nowhere to be seen, for they have drowned under the amount of hard rain that had fallen at this rate. If she didn't find grass soon, her other alternative would be to steal food, to which she could never think of doing. But it was either that or die of starvation, alone.

So Maggie passed by some nearby cabins and farms to see what kind of food they had. She hadn't eaten anything all day and began to feel a gnawing in her stomach that was driving her insane. Turning to the right, Maggie couldn't bear it any longer once she saw the trees full of delicious red shining apples that made her mouth salivate, her gums clapping and her tongue licking. Looking around, she saw no humans around the area and didn't hear anything inside the house as she approached the property. Whoever lived here wouldn't go hungry or miss a bunch of apples if she had taken them. And it wouldn't be possible for her to just knock on the door and ask if she could have any. The owner would never understand a word she was saying.

A wide smile grew on her lips as she decided to use the blanket to carry the apples, in hopes that whoever spotted her would think she already belongs to someone in the neighborhood. She sneaked over to the nearest apple tree after checking to make sure there was no one around to see her. With her huge body, she shook the tree enough for some of the fruit to fall down. When she had reassured herself that there was no one watching, she picked up an apple and placed it on the blanket. She picked up another and another and another until she was certain that it was enough for her to last as long as possible, using her tail to tie the blanket up into a knot.

"Yep, that should do it."

She flipped the filled blanket over her back, carrying the end of it in her mouth as she was preparing to make her way out before the owner caught her. Heading back on the road, she saw other things that looked delicious such as two steaming hot apple pies that sat in the window of someone else's house which she didn't need, not wanting to look suspicious if she dared to take more than what the blanket could handle. The smell of the pies however reminded her of how Abner used to make them for friends and family, having once taken a piece for herself when no one was looking. She just couldn't resist the temptation to have a taste at that time. It was delicious. Only now thinking of it made her stomach hurt from more than just hunger. But Maggie refused to allow herself to shed tears when she needed to think of surviving first.

She had finally seen other people walking by or working, being too busy with their own chores to take any notice of her.

_I see how this is_. Maggie thought carefully, keeping a good hold on the blanket. _Folks running here and there, minding their own business; that's the life of a pioneer. Too bad none of their faces seem familiar to me. But that's alright, I'll just keep going._

There was no sign of Abner or anyone else here that Maggie knew. She had never thought of what would happen to her if she would never find her owner, having no idea where he was at this rate.

_Enough of this_! Maggie reminded herself. _You've got to pull yourself together and hang in there. Your friends wouldn't want you to give up too soon in any tight spot that might be up ahead. You'll get there, I know you will. And when you do…_

"SOMEBODY STOP THAT COW?"

Maggie froze in her tracks with her eyes wide open.

_If that voice is referring to me, now would be the good time to RUN_!

Without even looking back, Maggie made a run for it, so confused and terrified that she didn't even want to find out if that voice was really pointing to her.

Her heart beating loud in her ears, Maggie clutched the filled blanket tighter and with a new desperate burst of speed, made for the shadows of an alley. Some of the neighbors had tried to block her path with several moving objects, but none of that stopped her.

"GET BACK HERE YOU THIEF!" yelled the same voice.

Maggie managed to dodge between stalls and wagons on the side of the road. She turned down another alley, refusing to let go of the apples as she imagined there were people behind trying to stop her. The puddles of mud made the alley slick and slippery which she had used to move much faster by sliding to make her escape at the very end.

* * *

After a race of some miles for nearly two hours Maggie could do no more. She arrived quite breathless at the bottom of the hill, and moved off the road to hide and take a great long rest from her escape. Untying the knot, Maggie took a good long look at the apples she had taken.

"I know that I shouldn't take what isn't mine to keep," Maggie sighed, exhausted from all that running. "But why must food become hard out here to find for free?" There was no trace of grass in this part of the valley she came to. "It's not like this amount was going to make that guy starve to death. He's lucky that there is enough for him to last all through the winter that's coming up." She took a bite out of a big apple and swallowed it whole. "As for me, I do need something to eat and keep me going. Otherwise how else would I find Abner, Mama, and Grandma if there's no grass or hay available? Surely they would understand."

Maggie took another apple to eat, finding it much sweeter and juicier than the first. She had to remember not to eat more than two, never knowing how much longer it will take for her to reach Trigger Hook Town, so she wanted the apples to last as long as possible till then. When she had finished, she flung the cores far behind her. But because she hadn't much thought of where it might land, she had almost jumped when an angry voice broke the silence.

"HEY, WHO THREW THAT CORE?!"

"Uh oh, looks like it's time to move on again," Maggie said timidly, wrapping up the apples as fast as she could. Before she had a chance to tie the knot, something pushed her hard to the ground.

She looked up and saw five large bulls of different colors, horns, and these odd unfamiliar marks, similar to branding symbols, painted on their bodies. The one that pushed her was dark gray all over, with darker gray eye patches, curved horns, and green eyes. On his left horn was the same apple core she threw, stuck at the sharp end. Looking at it, Maggie couldn't keep herself from giggling.

"What, you think this is funny?" he demanded. "You think stepping on someone's territory is something to laugh about?"

Maggie grinned nervously, sensing trouble about to come.

"And where did you get those apples?"

Maggie's grin faded when the bulls came closer, and she found herself yanked to her four feet by two of them.

"Hey, put those down!" Maggie protested, seeing the dark gray bull about to take them. "I didn't steal those if that's what you're thinking. I earned them." That was a lie, but judging by their dangerous attitudes, it looked as if they would never believe her about anything, truth or false.

The bulls laughed mockingly at her words, which annoyed Maggie.

"Yeah right, that's what everyone says when they pass by with stolen food on them!" One silver coated bull proclaimed. "You know what they say, beggars can't be choosers."

Maggie tried to reach for her apples, but found that she couldn't get out of the bulls' grasp, no matter how hard she tried. They were too strong. Or maybe she was still recovering from the long run, as she convinced herself. The dark gray bull had already eaten one apple, giving Maggie a smirk. Maggie managed to give a good head butt to the bull on her right, still holding her. It only caused minimal pain to him.

When the dark gray bull finished the apple, he turned to Maggie with eyes that could have shot daggers. "My, such a temper you have there," he hissed, with so much malice in his voice that fear set in over her. He started moving toward.

"Let go of me!" Maggie yelled angrily. "I don't know what you bulls have against me, but I can assure you that I have nothing of interest for any of you! Now let me go!"

"SHUT UP!" The bull screamed, giving Maggie a hard blow to the face with his right front hoof.

"Ouch, this is no way to treat a lady!" Maggie cried, flinching at the stinging pain on her right cheek.

"I SAID SHUT UP, YOU TRAMP!" He bellowed, giving her another swipe across the face on the other side, bruising her cheek and splitting her lip. "If you were any more beautiful than this, maybe we'd go easy on you."

Shutting her eyes tightly, Maggie held her breath, resisting the urge to holler in pain. Worse yet, she couldn't believe that someone had called her a _tramp_ as she struggled to keep her tears from falling. She was able to open her eyes halfway, seeing the bulls were still there, surrounding and restraining her.

"But because you're still a lady, perhaps we're willing to make an exception to spare your life," the dark gray bull twitted, with a hint of seductiveness in his voice.

Before he could do anything, Maggie gave him a good head butt, which of course only gave him a feeling of satisfaction and hardly did any good for her.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" She snapped. "I got a town to get to and I don't have time for this!"

Without warning, the dark gray bull did something Maggie did not expect him to do: he seized hold of her bell with his tail and pulled her close enough where his lips pressed against hers in what could only be called a vile parody of a kiss. She then realized he was putting his right hoof somewhere below her neck, like he was trying to grab her or something.

That did it. Maggie may not have been completely recovered from her long run, but she remembered long ago that this was really no way to treat a lady, especially if it's someone like her. She responded by giving the bull another head butt, harder than before. The dark bull moved back, bewildered. But he didn't stay like that for long, once he grabbed her tighter as if fighting him only increased his satisfaction.

"HOLD HER DOWN BOYS!" he ordered.

The bulls obeyed, moving quicker than Maggie could even see and keeping an even tighter hold on her than the first time which was painful. Maggie cried, unable to keep the tears inside as the dark bull gave her a whack on her snout. She watched in confusion and horror as she felt wet stuff coming down from her nostrils. He had given her a nosebleed. After that, the pain was too much for Maggie to fight back, having no chance against the street thugs that went at her all at once. She could feel them wailing on her with their hard hooves and horns that could inflict damage. Without the rest of her strength, she couldn't fight back or escape. In all her life, she'd been teased, poked fun at for her body weight, and sometimes pushed around by other competitors at some of the fairs she entered. That she was used to, but none of that had ever been as bad as this. It seemed to take them forever to stop. Her bloody nose ended, but she couldn't move without wanting to scream, which only ended with a kick to the back of her head, and she was thrown to the ground face down.

Then before Maggie fell unconscious, she heard the dark bull say to the other bulls. "Let's go boys, and bring the apples along."

Another thug spoke out. "But what will the boss say when he tell him about the cow?"

"We won't have to tell him. We have no need for more servants until he says we do. For now, our job is to hunt for more food as ordered. Move out."

In a moment, they were all gone, with the apples Maggie had taken. Maggie groaned, tears pricking at her eyes. Unable to believe that she had experienced this kind of brutality at the hands or let's say hooves of street thugs, it was the pain inside her that made Maggie sadder.

She stayed unconscious on the ground until dusk settled in, awaking with a splitting headache. The pain was all Maggie could sense at first. Feeling that back of her head, she felt was likely going to develop into a serious bump. She opened her eyes, well her left eye which was not bruised like the other one. All she could see was that she was in the same area where she had stopped to rest and eat two of her apples. The only light came from the setting sun.

"Hey, what happened to my apples?" She finally spoke, ignoring the pain in her sides to look and see if they were still with her. But she then realized that the thugs must have taken them after they had inflicted pain upon her. "Oh great, those big brutes stole them. How dare they mess with this show cow!" Maggie shook her fist in anger, "If I had the rest of my strength recovered, I could have given them a big whoop and a big pow wow that would leave them crying to their mamas. Just who do they think they are to question where I came from in the first place? As I said before, that's my business, not theirs. I don't care what they say." She kicked at a small rock.

Maggie was able to rise up minutes later, flinching at whatever pain still remained. Then once her head cleared, Maggie could still taste the dark gray bull on her lips, wondering if she would ever rid herself of that horrible taste, coughing up from thinking about it.

"I got to find me a stream or lake to wash out that despicable bull that slobbered on me," she muttered, managing to walk again. "That was disgusting, coming from someone that smells like he hadn't had a bath in years. Yuck!" she rolled out her tongue in disgust.

It was about an hour after sundown with Maggie dragging herself on the trail, still in pain from the beating. She tried to forget about what happened to her, being more focused on where she was going to sleep tonight and where else she would find food, even if it did mean stealing without any option to make. She was not that kind of cow, but it was only a matter of time before her body would be feeling weaker again from the lack of food and water for the next couple of days.

* * *

Night had fallen when Maggie came across another town and entered into a narrow alleyway, feeling weak and tired from the endless walking and her stomach hurting from being empty hours after her encounter with the bulls.

Maggie saw an empty shack in the alleyway and dragged herself inside the potential shelter, and practically collapsed. With the cool night air settling in, Maggie curled into a fetal position. Without the blanket, she shivered from being cold. While she struggled to sleep, she had this feeling of wanting to die and end this type of suffering. But she couldn't give up now, not when she still had a long way to go. Nobody ever said life was easy and fair, especially when you had no home to return to or staying true to a promise made two weeks ago.

_Two weeks, it's only been two weeks since I left home_? Maggie thought bitterly. _I can't believe how far I've come. Alright, maybe I had some bad luck with a couple of thugs I've never seen before, but I can handle them next time when I'm not all tired out. There is no way I'm going to let that stop me from going on. I'm sticking to my promise and that's final. So don't you go wishing for death at a time like this_.

When Maggie finally went to sleep, the promise she made to find her family played in her mind. It would have been foolish of her to give up on hoping she'll see them again someday to know that they're alright. Who knows if her mother and grandmother are out there, hoping that she'll come back to them. If only she could find some kind of clue to know where they are.

Another week had passed for Maggie since she left the one place that used to be her home. In order to survive, she had to reluctantly swipe an apple, corn, tomato, or peach from a stall when the grocer had turned the other way. Luckily no one saw her do it, being too busy with their own business, believing she was just someone else's cow passing by. Sometimes when there was not enough grass in sight, Maggie begged at nearby cabins or farms for food and slept in the open air. Usually some of the farm animals were kind enough to take pity and offer her what was left over in their troughs while a few of them accused Maggie of being too fat and lazy to go look for work elsewhere if she didn't want to die of starvation, even making fun of her huge size. Maggie was often driven away from the farms where she begged or stole, chased away by the guard dogs that were let loose by the owners, suspicious of thieves in the night. Maggie escaped with a few minor scratches on her back legs, having no trouble fighting them off. Sadly there was no sign of Abner, her mother, grandmother, or anyone else familiar on any of the farms and ranches she had passed by. Still Maggie secretly wanted to prove that she could make it out here on her own, determined to reach her location.

After walking for yet another week, Maggie limped slowly into an unnamed little town just outside Trigger Hook Town. There she entered into an alleyway, covered with dust, upon a cold doorstep. She didn't want to admit that her loneliness hurt her more than the hunger pangs in her stomach, but she knew it was true. And there was no way for her to light a fire anywhere by herself. There were no mice in this area for her to ask help. It was cold out and Maggie sure did not want to sleep outside again.

So Maggie moved out of the alleyway and into the wilderness area full of crooked trees and sandy regions. With no sign of life anywhere, except the sound of the wind, Maggie could only shrug her shoulders, too tired and weak to think any further of what area she had really entered this time. All she could think of was getting some rest for tonight by searching for whatever empty town side she could come across as soon as possible.

Maggie marched through what looked to be another desert area which she did not recognize. Yet it did not bother. Little did she know that something else in this silent desert was slowly stalking her, in those glowing bright eyes.

**AN**: _Finally, another update to this story. Yet it might be put on hold for a while as I want to see if I can finish up "Legends of the Hidden Cemetery" now that it is close to October time. So as soon as November starts, I'll be back to working on this story as much as possible. And I would like to credit my good friend Carlos for helping me with ideas on this story. I don't own any of the characters from HOTR, but the ones I made up and added._


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